Adjustable hold-open guide rail for automatic door closer



July 19, 1960 D. H. ELLIS ADJUSTABLE HOLD-OPEN GUIDE RAIL FOR AUTOMATICDOOR CLOSER Filed Dec. 22. 1958 INVE INTOR: DAVID H. ELLISv a v m. 1M MNMN mol 8 Q .m t mm x N O u. 5 AM 8 NQE fier ATT YS July 19, 1960 D. H.ELLIS 7 2,945,255

ADJUSTABLE HOLD-OPEN GUIDE RAIL FOR AUTOMATIC DOOR CLOSER Filed Dec. 22,1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'wrx fww 'David "H. Ellis, West Chicago, Ill.,assignor,

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Patented July 19;, 1960 ADJUSTABLE HOLD-OPEN GUIDE RAIL FOR AUTOMATICDOOR CLOSER by mesne assignments, to The Oscar C. Rixson Co., FranklinThis invention relates to a hold open and guide rail assembly which maybe either mortised or sun-face mounted in or on a door frame headjarnband which is adapted to provide a guide for the operating arm of a doorcheck and closer mechanism which arm is adapted to move in response toopening and closing movements of a door. More particularly, thisinvention relates to a guide rail assembly of the aforesaid type whichutilizes a resilient side surface of the head jamb, or to be mountedwithin or on the door itself, depending upon the mounting of the closermechanism. Due to' the manner of operation of the 'single'operating'armtype of closer particularly, the operating arm when in the retractedposition, must be able to attain an initial position approximatelyparallel to the surface of the door if full efficiency is to berealized. However, if the closer mechanism is surface mounted, or mor-'tised it is evident that the guide rail assembly must also be surfacemounted or mortised accordingly if such a parallel relationship is to beachieved. This parallel relationship between the door surface and theoperating arm in the closed position, enables the closer mechanism toutilize the maximum leverage which can be jaiforded by the operatingarm, prevents prolonged strain on springoperated energy storing devices,and provides a maximum latitude of door movement with a minimumunidirectional movement of the operating arm and internal mechanism ofthe check and closer device.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedguide rail assembly which is adapted to be mortised in, or attached tothe outside portion of a door frame head jamb, or a door in order toachieve efficie'nt cooperation with a door check and closcr mechanism 4which is similarly mounted.

cycle, tends to make such stress relatively constant during all portionsof the cycle and evenly distributed over the jamb, hinges and all therespective parts of the door, jamb and closure mechanism. Therefore, theefliciency of the single arm type of closer is to a considerable extentaifected by the guide rail device which is-utilized to cornpelhorizontal movement of the extremityof the operating arm in responseto'opening and closing movements of the door. J V I Therefore, it is afurther object of this invention to provide 'an improved guide railassembly which is adapted to accommodate the operating arm of asingleoperating arm type of check and closer mechanism, to achieve certainimproved operation and to effectively cooperate therewith to obtain amaximum efliciency of closer operation and to reduce and distribute thestresses evenly over the iamb, hinges and closer mechanism.

To effect this greater efficiency the instant invention utilizes aresilient bearing surface to guide and provide a bearing surface for aspool shaped guide roller rotatably attached to the outer end of theoperating arm, to absorb certain variations in stress response to dooropening and closing and which has the additional advantages of providingrelatively silent 'yet certain operation of the arm within the guide'rail Without sacrifice of operating efii ciency.

Therefore, it is a further object of this invention to provide a guiderail assembly including a resilient bearing surface to guide and providea bearing surface for a spool-shaped guide roller rotatably attached tothe outer end of an operatingarm and to effectively cooperate with thecloser mechanism to absorb certain stresses and to "provide relativelysilent operation without sacrifice of efficiency. v v

While guide rail assemblies are generally concerned only with-providinga guiding means for the operating arm of a closer mechanism it is alsohighly desirable that such an assembly include means for holding thedoor open 'in a wirejrange of predetermined positions. However, sincethe closing means usually acts in opposition to the holding means, it isdesirable to present a combination capable of accomplishing bothpurposes without compromising the efficiency ofjeither. I

Therefore, it is a further object of this invention to provide a guide'rail assembly adapted to provide guiding means for a door closeroperating arm which also includes hold open means presenting a'minimumof interference to the normal'cfunctioning of the guiding means, yetproviding a wide range of hold open position adjustments.

Due principally to the 'size and form of guide rail a'ssemblies requiredby mounting conditions, it is difficult to provide a hold open meanswhich is easily adjusted to'a full range of positions when mortised andalso when surface mounted, it' being significantly easier to provideadjustment for guide means which are adapted to be only surface mounted.Of course, an effective hold open device must necessarily be "availablefor easy, convenient adjustment when either surface mounted or mortisedif the full range of possible adjustments of hold open positions are tobe utilized and the guide means is to have suificien't adaptability tobe used with closer mechanisms susceptible to diverse mountingtechniques.

Therefore, it is a further object of this invention to provide a guiderail of the aforesaid type including a hol-dopen-means which isavailable for easy, convenient, full range adjustment Whether mortisedor surface mounted.

It is also an object of this invention to'provide an adjustable holdopen and guide rail assembly "including a resilient bearing surface todistribute stress, to provide silent operation, and to provide means forretaining said door secu'rely in a wide range of predetermined held openpositions.

Further objects and advantages of thisinvention will become evident asthe description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: a

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of an embodimento'f the improvedadjustable hold open and guide rail assembly mortised into ahead jamb, V

Fig. 2 is a view taken substantially on the plane of line 2 2 ofFigure 1. l

on the upper portion of a door.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown 7 j in Figure 1illustrating the manner of assembly.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the guide railassembly.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a surface mounted embodiment of theadjustable hold open and guide rail assembly showing the stop memberguide rod sprung outwardly in order to adjust the position of theholdopen stop member.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 1showing the relationship of the guide rail, the guide red, the stopmember and the adjustment aperture.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 7-7in Figure 1.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line-88 in Figure 7, and

Fig. 9 is a detail, with parts broken away, showing the form of theguide rod member.

The function of the guide rail assembly is primarily to convert therotational movement of the outer extremity of the operating arm tolongitudinal movement with respect to the head jamb during the openingand closing movements of the door; and the subject invention isparticularly suitable for use with fully concealed, single arm, doorchecks and closers of the type which is the subject of my copendingapplication Serial Number 781,565, filed December 19, 1958, wherein thepresent invention is also disclosed.

In the form shown in the drawings the subject invention includes a spoolshaped guide roller 1 having a decreased diameter through the bodyportion and a greater diameter at the ends, the end flanges 3 beingbevelled inwardly toward the roller body for a purpose to be described.Guide roller 1 is rotatably attached to the outer end of an operatingarm 5 which is drivably connected for rotation by a door check andcloser mechanism, not shown, mortised in or surface mounted Theadjustable hold open and guide rail assembly is comprised generally ofan elongated rectangular housing frame or box 7, a stop member guide rod9, a resilient bearing surface 11, and a stop member 13.

Housing frame 7 is comprised of a substantially U- shaped channel havingtwo end portions 15 secured thereto. The U-shaped channel provides twoelongated side portions 17 and 19 which extend downwardly in relation tothe base portion of the channel when the housing frame 7 is mortised orattached to the head jamb. In the form shown, the housing frame side 17is provided with the resilient bearing surface 11, which is in the formof a guide bar secured longitudinally thereon by any suitable means andwhich may be formed of rubber or synthetic rubber or other suitableresilient material.

As shown in Fig. 7, this guide bar having the resilient bearing surface11 is of rectangular cross section and is adapted to project inwardlysufliciently to accommodate the roller body 1 and to permit the endflanges 3 to extend over either edge, yet preventing the flange portionsfrom contacting the surface of the housing wall 17. The resilientbearing surface 11 is shown as extending substantially the full lengthof the housing frame 7. Housing frame side wall 19 is formed with aplurality of stop apertures 23 located in opposing relationship to theresilient bearing surface 11 and spaced longitudinally along said sidewall 19.

The two end portions 15 of the housing are each secured 'to the ends ofthe side portions 17 and 19 and to the base of the U-shaped channel. Theend portions 15, as shown, are formed to provide a rod mounting aperture25 at one end of the housing, and a larger securing aperture 27 at theopposite end of the housing to which access may be had through a cut outportion 29 leading to the open side of the housing. The end walls 15 areoppositely disposed at either end of the U-shaped channel and theapertures 25 and '27 are aligned so that a line drawn between thecenters of the apertures will be parallel to the side walls '17 and 19of the U-shaped channel/ A guide rod 9 is formed in an elongatedsubstantially cylindrical shape having a reduced diameter portion 33 and35 at either end. This guide rod is preferably made of a metal which isresiliently flexible and with a length to diameter ratio sufficient topermit its being flexed in the manner hereafter described without itstaking a permanent set. A cap portion 37 is provided with an outercylindrical flange 39, and a cylindrical body or shank portion 41,extending axially inward from said flange portion 39, is provided tomount a lever arm 43 secured perpendicularly to the shank portion 41 andspaced from flange 39 sufiiciently to admit end wall 15 therebetween.The reduced portion 35 of the rod, between the shank 41 and the mainbody of the rod, is of a size to enter the cutout opening 29.

A stop member 13, preferably made out of metal or other rigid material,is formed with a bore 45 extending longitudinally therethrough forslidably receiving guide rod 9. The rear surface of the stop member 13is substantially flat, interrupted only by a centrally disposedcylindrically shaped stud member 47 which is adapted to be receivedsnugly within any one of the securing apertures 23. Stud member 47 is ofsuflicient length so that when guide bar 9, with the stop 13 threadedthereon, is secured to end walls 15, stud portion 47 is adapted toextend into apertures 23. The outer face of the stop member 13 is formedwith a central concave shaped recess portion or saddle 49 (see Fig. 5)formed'to receive a portion of the body of roller 1. Adjacent theforwardmost point of front face projection, the stop member 13 isinclined rearwardly and oppositely on either side to form taperedsurfaces 51 which extend from said forward portion rearwardly toward theguide rod 9.

In attaching the guide rail assembly to the head. jamb of a door, or toa door it is to be noted that it may be either surface mounted ormortised, may be used in connection with a push or a pull door openingmovement, or in connection with a right or left hand door opening swing.In any case suitable mounting means may be provided. In the form shownin Figs. 1 to 4 the housing 7 is provided with lugs 53 by which it maybe secured by screws.- On the other hand, if it is desired to surfacemountthe assembly, a detachably connected contoured surface securingmeans 55 may be used to mount the guide rail assembly to a surface asshown in Fig. 5. The manner of. securing the assembly in place is,however, only incidental to the present invention and it will beunderstood that any suitable means may be employed. In the form shownthe securing means 55 is a quarterround block of metalof substantiallythe same length as the depth of the housing 7, and one of these blocksis suitably secured to each end 15 of the housing 7 with one of itsaxially extending faces disposed in the plane of the outer surface ofthe side portion 19 of the frame. These blocks are then secured to themounting surface by means of suitable screws, as indicated in Fig. 5, tohold the frame 7 in place.

In mounting thesubject guide railassembly it is to benoted that sincethe resilient bearing surface 11 is adapted to receive the principalportion of the working force, this surface should always be mounted onthe side of the assembly nearest the door as the door swings whenclosing.

When it is desired to connect the adjustable hold open and guide railassembly to the operating arm 5 of the door closer, after the guide railand closer have been installed, and with the guide rod 9 removed, thedoor is opened to about 45 degrees and the arm 5 is swung-toward thejamb to enter the body of, guide roller 1 into the open face of theguide rail housing where the roller is placed on resilient bearingsurface 11 with the end flanges 3 extending over the edges of thebearing surface to guide the roller in its movement along the strip, thebevelled flange portions assuring that the flange will ;not cut or gougethe bearing member to damage the edges or running surfaces thereof. Stopmember 13 is then threaded onto guide rod 9 by way of the stop memberaperture 45, and the end portion 33 of the guide rod 9 is placed betweenthe bevelled end flanges 3 of the guide roller 1 and into the end wallaperture 25. Stop member 13 is then slid along guide rod 9 until theattachment stud 47 is located adjacent the appropriate aperture '23 foreffecting a predetermined hold open position. Stud 47 is then alignedwithin the selected opening 23 and the opposite or flanged end of guiderod 9, manipulated by the lever arm 43, is moved toward the edge of theopposite end wall 15 where the reduced diameter portion 35 is insertedlaterally through cut out portion 29 until guide rod 9 is positionedwithin aperture 27 so that shank portion 41 may be moved axially inwardtherethrough. Guide rod 9 is then moved to the right (Figs. 1, 3 and 5)until flange surface 39 abuts the adjacent end wall I5. Then, lever arm43 is rotated past detent 57 and into the housing 7 and guide rod 9 islocked and held securely within the housing frame.

When the door is moved in the opening direction, operating arm 5 will bemoved longitudinally of the guide rail causing guide roller 1 to rollalong resilient bearing strip 11. If the door is opened past theposition corresponding to the position of the stop member 13 the roller1 will be forced over and past the stop member by the normal forceapplied to the door to open it. Then when the door is released, theclosure mechanism will cause the roller body to travel longitudinally ofthe guide rail in the reverse direction until the roller body progressesonto inclined surface 51, which forces the roller body downwardly tocompress resilient surface 11, to permit the roller to seat in thesaddle 4-9 and thus prevent the door from moving to the closed position,it being noted that the return movement of the door will not providesufficient force to push the roller body beyond the saddle portion ofthe stop member. Thus when the opening force is discontinued, the doorwill return freely only to the position where the return movement of theroller body 1 is terminated by the wedging action of surface 51 and thereactive force of the resilient rail and bearing member 11 which seatsthe roller in the stop member saddle 49.

If it is desired to manually locate the door in this predeterminedposition, suflicient force must be manually exerted on the door tocompress resilient member 11 sufliciently to permit the roller body 1 tomove past inclined surface 51 into the saddle or recess 49, thecompressed resiliency of the bearing surface retaining the roller withinthe concave recess. This can be done either upon initially opening thedoor or during its closing movement under the influence of the closermechanism. To release the guide roller 1 from the recess 49 forcemanually applied to the door in the closing direction is necessary tocompress resilient member 11 sufiiciently to allow the roller body tomove past the forward projecting surface of the face of stop member 13,the door then beingfree to move back to the normal closed position'wherethe operating arm is substantially parallel to the surface of the door.

When it becomes desirable to change the position of therstop member 13to effect a different hold-open position for the door, a screw driver orother suit-able prying tool may be inserted between housing side 19 andguide rod 9 to spring the flexible guide rod 9 outwardly a sufficientdistance to permit stud portion 4-7 to be removed from aperture 23 andthe stop member to be slid along guide rod 9 into position opposite adifferent aperture which will effect the desired'hold-open position.Stud 47 is then inserted into the appropriate aperture and the screwdriver removed, stop member 13 being then restrained by the cooperationof stud-47 and the aperture '23 from further longitudinal movement alongguide rod 9. 1

In the ordinary installation the stop member 13 islocated to engage theoperating arm roller at a position of about degrees of door opening sothat the door can swing through a normal extent of opening and closingmovement without interference from the hold-open device and yet beretained at a full open position when such hold-open action is desired.The ease of resetting the hold-open stop member 13, however, permits awide choice of hold-open positions of the door as may be desired toaccommodate various situations or conditions of door use.

The main advantages of this inveniton reside in its being an improvedand simplified construction adapted to be mortised in or attached toeither a head jamb or a door in order to achieve eflicient cooperationwith a door check and closer mechanism which is similarly mounted; inthe provision of a resilient bearing surface for an operating arm guideroller, whereby to better absorb certain stresses and to providerelatively silent operation without sacrifice of efficiency; inproviding a guide. rail for an operating arm which also includes anadjustable hold-open means presenting no interference to the normalfunction of the guide rail yet providing a wide range of hold-openposition adjustment which hold-open means is available for easy,convenient, full range adjustment regardless of how the guide rail ismounted; in the utilizationof a resilient bearing surface for theoperating arm roller to provide substantially silent hold-open operationand accomplish the retention of the door securely in a wide range ofpredetermined hold open positions; in providing improved means forachieving a true longitudinal movement of the guide roller with respectto an elongated relatively soft bearing surface; and in providing animproved guide rail capable of more convenient assembly and disassemblyregardless of how the device is mounted.

Further advantages are to be found in the improved arrangement andassembly of the operating parts whereby material savings inmanufacturing costs are realized; and in the simplified construction ofthe components of the device whereby all mechanism can be quickly andeasily assembled in the unit casing with a minimum of time and laborcost and without the need for complicated fastening and adjustingprocedures. Although but two specific embodiments of this invention hasbeen herein shown and described'i-t will be understood that numerousdetails of theconstruction may be altered or omitted without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim: j

1. An adjustable hold-open and guide rail assembly for an operatingarm'connected between a door and the head jamb of a door opening andhaving one end adapted to move lengthwise of the assembly in remponse tothe opening and closing movements of the door, said assembly comprisingan elongated housing having side and end walls and an open bottom face,both of said end walls having an aperture and one of said end wallshaving a cut out portion providing access to the aperture from thebottom edge of the one end wall, a 'detent on the bottom edge of saidout out end wall, an elongated guide bar secured within said housingalong one side wall thereof and having a resilient bearing surface, adetachable flexible guide rod extending longitudinally in said housingspaced from said bearing surface and having a reduced end portionadapted to be received endwise in one of said end wall apertures and asecond reduced portion adaptedto be received laterally through said cutout portion and into the adjacent aperture, a flanged cap member on theend of said guide rod adjacent said sec ond reduced portion, a lever armextending substantially perpendicularly from said guide rod between saidsecond reduced portion and said cap member and spaced from said capmember to receive the said one end wall therebetween, said lever armbeing engaged against the inner surface of said one end wall behind saiddetent to pre vent longitudinal movement of said rod, and a spool shapedguide roller rotatably attached to the said one end of the operatingarm, said guide roller having a cen tral body portion received betweensaid guide rod and said resilient bearing surface and including aninwardly bevelled flange on each end of said body portion extending overthe edges of said resilient bearing surface for retaining said guideroller in rolling engagement with said resilient bearing surface whensaid arm is moved in response to the opening and closing of the door.

2. An adjustable hold open and guide rail assembly for an operating armconnected between a door and a head jamb associated with said door andhaving one end movable lengthwise of the assembly in response to theopening and closing movements of the door, said assembly comprising anelongated housing having side walls, an elongated guide member in saidhousing having a bearing surface extending along one side Wall, a guideroller attached to the said one end of the operating arm and having aperipheral surface positioned to roll on and along said bearing surface,one of said aforesaid surfaces being resilient, means on said guideroller for holding said guide roller in rolling engagement with saidhearing surface, and stop means adjustable longitudinally of said guidemember for engaging the periphery of said guide roller, the resiliencyof said one surface retaining said guide roller in the position ofengagement with said stop means.

3. An adjustable hold open and guide rail assembly for an operating armconnected between a door and the head jamb of a door frame and havingone end movable lengthwise of the assembly in response to the openingand closing movements of the door, said assembly comprising an elongatedhousing having side walls, an elongated member in said housing having aninwardly facing bearing surface extending along one side wall, a guideroller attached to the said one end of the operating arm and having aperipheral surface positioned for rolling movement on said bearingsurface, one of said aforesaid surfaces being resilient, and stop meansadapted to be secured selectively at a plurality of positions along thelength of said housing'for peripherally engaging said guide roller, saidstop means having a concave roller engaging surface facing said bearingsurface and projecting into the path of said guide roller, wherebyengagement of said guide roller with said stop member will causeyielding of said one resilient surface to retain said guide roller atthe selected position of the said stop means. t

4. An adjustable hold-open and guide rail assembly for an operating armconnected between a door and the head jamb of a door frame and havingone end movable lengthwise of the assembly in response to the openingand closing movements of the door, said assembly comprising an elongatedhousing having opposite side Walls, an elongated guide member in saidhousing having a bearing surface extending along one side wall, a guideroller attached to the said one end of the operating arm and having aperipheral surface positioned to roll on said bearing surface, one ofsaid aforesaid surfaces being resiliently compressible, a flexible guiderod extending longitudinally within and supported by said housing inspaced relation with said bearing surface, and stop means onandslidablealong said guide rod and adapted to be secured'in a selected oneof a plurality of positions lengthwise 'of said housing for peripherallyengaging said guide roller,"said stop means having a roller engagingsurface facing said bearing surface and projecting into the path of saidguide roller to force said guide roller against said bearingsurface andcompress said one resilient suIfaGe and thereby retain said guide rollerat the selected position of the stop means.

5. An adjustable hold-open and guide rail assembly for an operating armconnected between a door and the head jamb of a door frame and havingone end movable lengthwise of the assembly in response to the openingand closing movements of the door, said assembly comprising an elongatedhousing having opposite side walls, an elongated bearing member ofcompressible resilient material secured within said housing along oneside wall, a guide roller attached to the said one end of the operatingarm and extending into said housing for rolling movement on and alongsaid bearing member, and stop means adjustable lengthwise of saidhousing and having a saddle portion formed to peripherally engage saidroller, said stop means being adapted to force said roller against saidresilient bearing member to seat and retain said roller in said saddleportion.

6. An adjustable hold-open and guide rail assembly for an operating armconnected between a door and the head jamb of a door frame and havingone end movable lengthwise of the assembly in response to the openingand closing movements of a door, said assembly comprising an elongatedhousing having side walls, an elongated guide rail of resilient materialsecured within said housing along one side wall, said housing having aplurality of apertures spaced longitudinally along another side of saidhousing, a flexible guide rod extending longitudinally within saidhousing and having its ends supported by said housing, said guide rodbeing spaced from said resilient guide rail, a spool shaped guide rollerrotatably attached to the said one end of the operating arm and adaptedto be received between said guide rod and said guide rail forlongitudinal movement on said guide rail, and a stop member having abore therethrough slidably receiving said guide rod, said stop memberhaving a securing stud portion adapted to be inserted into one of saidapertures to selectively position said stop member and to preventlongitudinal movement thereof relative to said guide rod, and said stopmember having a face portion including a concave surface in opposedrelation to said guide rail and adapted to receive the central portionof said guide roller as the roller moves on said rail, said face portionof the stop member being oppositely inclined on either side of saidconcave surface and in the direction away from said guide rail.

7. A guide rail assembly for a door operating arm connected between thedoor and the head jamb of a door opening, said assembly comprising anelongated housing having opposite side walls and end walls and having anopen face in a plane normal to all said walls, each of said end wallshaving an aperture and one of said end walls having a cut out portion ofless width than the adjacent aperture providing access to the saidaperture from the edge of the end wall lying in the plane of said openface, an elongated guide, rail of resilient compressible materialextending longitudinally within said housing along one side wallthereof, the other of said side walls having a plurality of aperturesspaced longitudinally therealong, a flexible guide rod extendinglongitudinally in said housing between said end walls and having adiametrically reduced portion adapted to be inserted laterally throughsaid out out portion and into the aperture in said one end Wall and anopposite end portion adapted to be received endwise in the other of saidend wall apertures, 21 flange on-the end of said guide rod adjacent thesaid reduced portion, a lever arm extending substantially per,-pendicularly from said guide rod between said flange and the reducedportion and spaced from said flange sutficiently to receive the adjacentend wall therebetween to secure said guide rod against longitudinalmovement within said housing, a spool shaped guide roller mounted on oneend of the operating arm to project laterally thereifrom and having acentral body portion received in said QLlSing between said guide rod andsaid resilient guide rail, said guide roller including an inwardlybevelled flange portion on each end of said body portion adapted toextend over the adjacent edges of said resilient guide rail, and a stopmember slidably mounted on said guide rod and having a laterallyprojecting stud portion adapted to be secured in a selected one of saidside wall apertures, said stop member having an opposite face portionformed to receive said guide roller and force the roller against saidguide rail to retain said roller at the position corresponding to theselected one of said side wall apertures.

8. An adjustable hold open and guide rail assembly for a door operatingarm connected between a door and the head jamb of a door opening andhaving a spool shaped guide roller at one end disposed for engagementwith said assembly, said assembly comprising an elongated box-likehousing having opposed side walls and end walls and an open face, eachof said end walls having an aperture and one of said end walls having acut out portion of less width than the adjacent aperture providingaccess to the said aperture from the edge of the end Wall lying in theplane of said open face, an elongated guide rail having a resilientbearing surface and extending longitudinally within said housing alongone side wall thereof, the other of said side walls having a pluralityof apertures formed therein and spaced longitudinally therealong, aflexible guide rod extending longitudinally in said housing between saidend walls and having a diametrically reduced portion adjacent one endadapted to be inserted laterally through said cut out portion and intothe aperture in said one end wall and a portion at its opposite endadapted to be received endwise in the aperture in the other end wall, aflange on the end of said guide rod adjacent said diametrically reducedportion, a lever arm extending substantially perpendicularly from saidguide rod between said flange and said diametrically reduced portion andspaced from said flange to receive the adjacent end wall therebetween,said guide roller having a central body portion adapted to be receivedbetween said guide rod and the adjacent resilient bearing surface ofsaid guide rail and including bevelled flanges on each end of said bodyportion adapted to extend over the adjacent edges of said resilientbearing surface, and a stop member having a bore therethrough slidablyreceiving said guide rod, said stop member including a securing studportion adapted to be inserted in a selected one of said side wallapertures to position said stop member and to prevent longitudinalmovement thereof relative to said guide rod, said stop member having aface portion including a central concave formation opposing saidresilient bearing surface and adapted to receive the central portion ofsaid guide roller as said roller moves along the guide rail, said faceportion being oppositely inclined on either side of said concave surfaceand away from said bearing surface whereby said bearing surface will becompressed as said roller is moved into engagement with said concavesurface.

9. A guide rail assembly for an operating arm connected between a doorand a head jamb associated with said door and having one end adapted tomove lengthwise of said assembly in response to the opening and closingmovement of the door, said assembly comprising an elongated housinghaving side and end walls, an elongated guide bar of rectangularcross-section and of non-metallic resilient material secured within saidhousing along one side wall thereof, and a spool-shaped guide rollerrotatably attached to said one end of said arm and having a body portionextending into said housing for rolling movement on said resilient guidebar and including an inwardly beveled flange on each end of said bodyportion extending over the edges of said guide bar to retain said rollerin alignment with said guide bar while rolling thereon when the arm ismoved in response to opening and closing of the door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,532,239 Fauser Apr. 7, 1925 1,921,314 Garrison Aug. 8, 1933 2,289,092Bernhard July 7, 1942

